CZ: Does not oppose Hyperliquid, welcomes more DEXes to compete.

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) told the "When Shift Happens" podcast that he does not oppose Hyperliquid and welcomes more centralized and decentralized exchanges to pursue innovation, noting the crypto industry is far from saturated. Zhao estimated that roughly 5% to 15% of the global population holds some crypto asset, but when measured as a share of individual wealth, crypto penetration is less than 1%, meaning the sector remains in its early stages. CZ added that some Hyperliquid community members are attempting to build their own communities by criticizing centralized exchanges and Binance, but he views this as normal competition and has no objections to the project. He also noted that former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent mention of Hyperliquid is a positive development for the industry, with assets including HYPE, BNB, and Bitcoin all poised to benefit from the sector’s overall growth. Additionally, CZ pointed out that first movers do not always emerge as the biggest long-term winners, citing examples like Google, Facebook, and Binance—none of which were the first products in their respective fields, and later entrants often optimize on the foundation laid by pioneers. Despite holding large stakes in Binance and significant BNB holdings, centralized exchanges represent only a portion of his asset allocation; rather than focusing on expanding a single platform, he prioritizes driving the growth of the entire crypto industry.